For some reason the walcott poem below reminded me of this, very mirrored.

[toast-is-lovely.livejournal.com]

Love bade me welcome
george herbert

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guiltie of dust and sinne.
But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lack’d any thing.

A guest, I answer’d, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkinde, ungratefull? Ah my deare,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?

Truth Lord, but I have marr’d them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, sayes Love, who bore the blame?
My deare, then I will serve.
You must sit down, sayes Love, and taste my meat:
So I did sit and eat.

Comments

[aria-muse.livejournal.com]

this is lovely although i am 12 years old so "taste my meat" made me lol

[mspixieears.livejournal.com]

Well, the whole poem can be read as being about chaste love, or also sexual love. John Donne is testament to that, and he would have been a contemporary of Herbert's.